'We love this school' -- Ofsted highlights parents' praise for village academy

Gamston St Peter’s Church Of England Primary School, which has 114 pupils, aged three to 11, has been rated ‘Good’, both overall and in all individual categories, after its latest review.

And in their report, inspectors highlighted the view of appreciative parents, saying: “As one, typical of many, commented: ‘We love this school. It focuses on children’s celebrations and successes, and not just the academic.’

"The school has established a united, shared vision. Everyone works together in harmony. Parents enjoy attending ‘coffee, cakes and conversation’ gatherings, which helps them to understand how the school is helping their child to learn.”

The Ofsted report is a triumph for the way Gamston St Peter’s has negotiated changes and made improvements since it converted into an academy just over a year ago.

It is now part of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Multi-Academy Trust (SNMAT), which is run by chief executive officer Chris Moodie and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Phil Blinston.

Mr Moodie said: “This is a great village school, with fantastic children and supportive families. The staff are rightly recognised by inspectors for their commitment to providing the best education possible for children. Their hard work is effective and meaningful.

"I am delighted the report also reflects the school’s caring environment, which champions every child to succeed and thrive.”

The Ofsted report said staff, led by head teacher Chris Edwards, pupils and parents “appreciate the recent changes” and added: “The school, in conjunction with the trust, has an accurate understanding of its strengths and development needs.”

Inspectors praised pupils for being “welcoming, polite and courteous”, behaving well, “paying attention in lessons and enjoying their social times”.

They “fulfil roles and responsibilities in school with pride”, with some becoming sports leaders and others school councillors.

Provision for pupils with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND) was “well considered”, enabling them to be “increasingly independent”, while early-years children settled in well.

The personal development programme at Gamston St Peter’s was also hailed for teaching pupils about managing finances, fundraising and contributing to the community.

The only area pinpointed for improvement was ensuring that teachers had the knowledge to implement a curriculum that had “the full, desired impact”.